Gathering and inserting machine



Sept. 20, 1932. F. MCCARTHY GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed Oct.17, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 m T N E m l.

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A, A fTO/WEY Sept. 20, 1932. F. MGCARTHY GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINEFiled Oct. 17, 1928 8 SheetsSheet 4 IN [IE/VI O)? A TTOANEY Q as 8 X E Q9 Mm mop mo on P GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17. 1928 8Sheets-Sheet 5 M 44 BY Z ATTORNEY F. M CARTHY Sept. 20, 1932.

GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 6%z44a N VE TOR Sept. 20, 1932. F. MCCARTHY GATHERING'AND INSERTINGMACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 l s.Q J

Sept. 20, 1932. F. MCCARTHY GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 17, 1928 11v 151v? R ATTORNEY Patented Sept.20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLORENCE MCCARTHY, OF NEW YORK, N.Y., ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MCCARTHY BUSINESS MACHINES CO.,INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE GATHERING AND msnmmomacnnm Application filed October 17, 1928. Serial No. 313,007.

.to 116,786, filed June 18, 1926', by means of which any number ofenclosuresfrom any number of enclosure magazines can be collected andinserted into one envelope.

One of the objects of the invention is, in such a machine, to providereliable and conveniently adjustable means for accurately evening andpositioning the collections of enclosures, irrespective of size beforethey are inserted into the envelopes.

Another object is, in a machine in which the envelopes are moved endwiseto an ap'- proximate loading position, to provide means i for accuratelypositioning the envelopes by a shifting movement.

Another object is to clear the surface on which the enclosures aregathered for insertion into envelopes, this part'of the inventioninvolvin features of construction and operation of gatheringinstrumentalities disposed below the surface.

Another object is, in a machine in which the flaps are opened by movingthem trans versely to themselves relatively to a flap opener, to providea simple and efficient means for opening the flaps farther on endwisemovement of the envelopes to a loading position, the secondinstrumentality being of a nature which will not injure the flaps andwhich at the same time requires but little of the length of the machine.

. These and other objects, features and combinations will becomeapparent as the speci fication proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 53 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Flg. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the part of the machine includin the enclosuremagazines and the gatherer, t e gathering surface, and also the upperdelivery rollers of the magazines and the strippers with the framesection carrying these parts being removed, in order to show partseneath;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1,illustrating a device which will be termed a jogger, an actuatip g cambeing partly broken away in this View;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the parts in different position;

Fig. 10 is an elevation looking at right angles to Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of an envelope positioner, a link connectedtherewith being broken away; and

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the parts in different position.

The machine has a suitable table-like frame 2 supported on legs 3, theframe having preferably a generally flat top or deck 4, on which theenvelopes and the enclosures lie flat and substantially horizontal whileeach envelope is moved to and from the loading position and While it isat rest at the loading position and while the enclosures are beinggathered and inserted in the envelope.

A series of enclosure magazines 5 are disposed side by side behind oneportion of the deck which constitutes a stationary gathering surface 6.For simplicity of illustration only two enclosure magazines are shown inthe drawing. As in my prior application aforesaid, however, the machineis adapted to operate with any number of enclosure magazines, from twoup, arranged in continuation of a series represented by the twomagazines illustrated, the 'gatherer being appropriately extended inaccordance with the number of magazines. This part of the machine may beof sectional construction to permit of sections being added.

As in my prior application, the enclosure magazines 5 are designed tohold the enclosures with their longer dimensions parallel with eachother in the several magazines, and to deliver the enclosures to thegather-er endwise, that is to say in the direction of their length. Theenclosures may be letter sheets, usually folded four times into oblonform, or they may be bills, blotters, cards, or any kindred form ofsheet material. The enclosure magazines are made adjustable so as totake enclosures of any length or width. The enclosures when .deliveredonto the gathering surface 6 are moved by the gatheringinstrumentalities in a direction transverse to the length of theenclosures and at right angles to the direction in which they weredelivered from the ma azines. By further movement in the same irectionwith the gathering movement, the collected enclosures are inserted intothe envelopes.

The envelopes are held in an envelope magazine 7, which is preferablylocated at one end of the series of enclosure magazines and which facesaway from thesemagazines and in a direction at right angles to thedirections in which the enclosure magazines face. By the directions inwhich the magazines face is meant the directions in which the enclosuresand envelopes are delivered therefrom.

The envelopes lie in the envelope magazine with their flaps upward andtheir flap edges at the rear of this magazine, and the successiveenvelopes are delivered or withdrawn from the envelope magazine in adirection transverse to their length, the advantage of delivering theenvelopes in this manner being that it makes possible a sure opening ofthe flaps. Each envelope, after having been delivered in this manner andhaving had its flap opened or raised, is moved endwise to a loadingposition opposite the end of the gatherer. Here it pauses, with its flapbeneatha vertically movable loading platform, while the enclosure orcollection of enclosures is inserted into it, and then it is carriedonward in an endwise direction and eventually delivered from themachine.

The delivery of the envelopes from the envelope magazine in a directiontransverse to themselves and transverse to the length of the flaps isadvantageous for sure opening of the flaps, and is thereforemuchpreferred, but this is not necessarily essential. The endwise movementof the envelopes to the loading position, and preferably also themovement of the loaded envelopes away from the loading position, is atright angles to the direction of movement in which the enclosures aregathered and then inserted into the envelopes.

The foregoing general outline includes some of the general resemblancesbetween the present machine and that of my prior application.

I shall now proceed with a detailed description of the present machinewithout troubling to point out allthe matters of similarity anddissimilarity since they can be easily ascertained by comparison. Iwould point out that, while the present machine is more particularly animprovement in certain respects on my former machine, the features ofnovelty are not necessarily restricted to that general form of machinebut may be susceptible of other applications.

The envelope magazine is preferably of a kind in which the envelopes areheld in a vertical or inclined stack, and in which the envelopes aredelivered from the bottom of the stack. However, other ty )es ofmagazine and feed may be employed. n the preferred form, this magazinehas two rearwardly inclined rear corner members 8 and 9, of angularcross-section, for retaining and guiding the rear corners of the stack.Adjustability of these members forward and rearward to suit differentWidths of envelopes, and relative adjustability laterally to suitdifferent lengths of envelopes, need not be particularly illustrated nordescribed, since similar matters are shown in my copending application,Serial No. 116,786. Furthermore, the present form of the envelopemagazine and instrumentalities associated therewith are shown in aseparate application, filed October 23, 1928, Serial No. 314,492.

At the front of the envelope magazine there is a stripper or strippers10, past which the. individual envelopes are drawn, these strippersbeing mounted on a cross-bar 11. In front of the strippers there is anopener blade 12, which is encountered by the flap of each envelope as itis withdrawn and which causes the flap to be opened or raised. The

envelopes are successively fed or started from the envelope magazine bya feed roller 13 having a projecting friction segment 14 of rubber orequivalent material. The stack of envelopes rests at the rear on feet 15at the lower ends of slides 16 lying in the rear corner members 8 and 9,said slides being capable of being raised and lowered by screws 17. Theenvelope stack may also rest upon the smooth part of the surface of thefeed roller 13, and when in the revolution of this roller the bottommostenvelope is encountered by the feed segment 14, the bottom envelope isprojected from the magazine beneath the strippers 10 which hold back thesuperincumbent envelopes.

The forward edge of the envelope thus advanced is seized by areciprocatory gripper 18 pivoted at 19 on a carriage, which includes twostandards 20 rising through slots in the deck of the machine fromhorizontal slides 21 guided in guideways 22. The said slides have fixedto their under sides racks 23, which are meshed by pinions 24' on arotary shaft 25. Rotation of this shaft in one direction and then inanother causes the gripper 18 to advance to the forward edge of anenvelope projected from the envelope magazine and then to retreat,drawing the en.- velope with it, until the envelope is entirely out ofthe envelope magazine. In this movement the flap of the. envelope isbrought into engagement with the flap opener blade 12, and by thisencounter is moved to a partly or entirely open position. The pivotedgripper 1S cooperates with a fixed under jaw 26 formed on a cross-piece27 carried by the standards of the reciprocatory gripper carriage. Aspring 28 acts upon the movable jaw 18 to open it away from the fixed aw26.

The movable jaw 18 is closed upon the fixed jaw and the interposedforward portion of an envelope in time to withdraw the partiallyprojected envelope from the magazine, and is subsequently released afterthe envelope has been withdrawn to the desired distance, by means whichwill now be described. A rockable shaft 29 is mounted in the upper endsof the standards 20, and carries locking pieces 30 having notches 31.These notches cooperate with spring fingers 32 rising from the movablejaw 18. On one end of the shaft 29 there is an arm 33 carrying a roller34 and on the opposite end of the same shaft there is an arm 35 providedwith a roller 36. \Vhen the gripper carriage approaches or has reachedthe forward limit of its movement, the roller 34 of the arm 33 is struckby a projection 37 on a slide 38, which is actuated at this time. Thisturns the locking pieces 30 so as to force the jaw 18 downward upon theforward portion of the envelope lying on the under aw 26, and themovable jaw is resiliently locked in thisposition by the engagement ofthe upper ends of the spring fingers 32 with the notches 31. The grippercarriage is then moved rearward, drawing the envelope with it. At orabout the extreme of its rearward movement, the roller of the arm 35encounters a fixed part 39, which causes the shaft 29 to be turned so asto disengage the locking pieces 30 from the spring fingers 32, thegripper jaw 18 being thereupon opened by'the spring 28.

The fixed part 39 is integral with a channel guide 39 extending alongthe deck of the machine to guide and position the rear or bottom edge ofthe envelopes in theirmovement to .and from the loading position andwhile at rest in that position.

The envelopes are carried endwise along the guide 39 from the positionin which they are left by the gri 'iper 18 to the loading positionopposite a loading platform 40, and when loaded are moved away from thisposition by a reeiprocatory gripper mechanism, which will now bedescribed. A long slide bar 41 is guided in fixed guides 42 parallelwith the envelope guide 39, the guides 42 being beneath the deck of themachine.

Above the slide 41 the deck is slotted, as shown at 43. The particulargripper mechanism carried by the slide 41 and the means by which itsgrippers are opened and closed is similar to that disclosed in myaforesaid prior application, to which reference may be had for fullerunderstanding. The slide 41 carries two longitudinally spaced brackets44 and 45, extending upward to the slot 43 and carrying normally closedgripper devices 46 and 47, which are momentarily opened shortly beforethe limit of movement in each direction of the slide 41 and then causedto close again at or about the time when the slide. reverses itsmovement. While it is unnecessary to go into details, it may be statedthat the gripper 46 is opened and permitted to close by a roundedprotuberance 48 on a slide 250 which is slidable on the slide 41, whilethe gripper 47 is similarly controlled by a protuberance 49 on thesecond slide 250, the slide 250 with the protuberances 48 and 49 beingautomatically shifted relatively to the slide 41 by reason of stationarylimit stops 251 and 252 (Figs. 2, 3, and 5), which are encountered bythe laterally projecting arms of a piece 253 fixed to the slide 250. Inmy prior application, the protuberances were on separate secondaryslides, and there were two sets of limit stops, one for each secondaryslide. The difference in respect to this feature in the present machineis therefore one of simplification. The details of the grippers 46 and47 are not shown, all of these matters being made abundantly clear in myprior application.

The mechanism is such that when an en velope has been fully withdrawnfrom the envelope magazine and is left momentarily at rest, the slide 41moves toward the end of this envelope and the gripper device 46 ismomentarily opened and then immediately closed upon the end of theenvelope, whereupon the slide 41 reverses its movement and drags theenvelope endwise to a position opposite the end of the loading platform.At thistime the grip-per 46 is again momentarily opened to release theenvelope, after which the slide 41 continues its movement for a shortdistance in order to enable the gripper 46 to clear the end of theenvelope, whereupon the gripper is closed and the slide reverses itsmovement, carrying thegripper back under the stationary envelopepreparatory to seizing and bringing another envelope to the loadingposition. At the same time the gripper 47 is caused to seize the forwardend of an envelope which had been loaded at the loading station, towithdraw it endwise from the loading station, to release the loadedenvelope preparatory to engaging and withdrawing the next loadedenvelope.

As in my prior application, the flap opening blade 12, while asubstantially stationary.

' through a slotted arm 50 connected'with the projection 37 of thestriker slide 38, this arm cooperating with a pin 51 on' an arm 52 fixedto the pivot shaft 53 of the blade 12. In this way the flap opener bladeis raised at the proper time, to be thereafter lowered and yieldinglypressed against the back of the envelope by a spring 54. The shaft 53 onwhich the opener blade 12 is hung is mounted in brackets 55 on the fixedframe.

As the envelope is moved endwise away from the position to which it waswithdrawn by the gripper 18, its flap is'turned back somewhat farther byencountering a yielding pendent member 56, which is freely hung on anextension of the shaft and which has an inclined edge as shown inFig. 1. The fiap' then passes beneath the loading platform 40, which israised at the moment. When the envelope reaches and is left at theloading station, the loading platform is lowered back to the plane ofthe general deck of the ma chine and remains in this position while theenclosures are being introduced into the waiting envelope. Then theplatform is raised while the loaded envelope is being carried away fromthe loading position.

The loading platform is pivotally supported on hinge centers 57, one ofwhich connects an arm 58 on one rear lateral portion of the platformwith a bracket 59 of the fixed deck, while the other connects'theforward end of the gauge-flange 72 with its continuation 72 on theplatform.

Each of the enclosure magazines has rear angular corner members 60 and61, which may be understood as being adjustable forward and rearwardtoward and from the front of the magazine and also relatively adjustabletransversely toward and from each other. These matters are fullyillustrated in my prior application and Serial No. 116,786, in anotherapplication, Serial No. 313,006, filed October 17, 1928, and do notrequire special illustration here. As in the case of the envelopemagazine, the members 60 and 61 carry slides 62 having supporting feet63 or roller 65, by the smooth surface of a feed roller 66, and by aledge 67 at the front of the magazine. Each of the feed rollers 66 has aprojecting friction segment 68 occupying a limited portion of itsperiphery as in. the case of the feed roller 13 of the envelopemagazine. A stri per device 69 at the front of each of the enc osuremagazines serves to separate the enclosures and to hold back all but thebottommost enclosure, which is advanced by the segment 68 of the feedroller into the grip of two forwarding rollers 76 and 71. These rollersoperate at high speed so as to throw the enclosures to the far side ofthe gathering surface 6 against a stop guide 72. The roller 70 is adriven roller and the roller 71 is an idle roller pressed by springs 73.

The feed rollers 66 are operated by a shaft 74 passing axially throughthem and having arms 75 which cooperate with pins 76 on the rollers. Inthis way a one-way acting driv ing connection is provided between theshaft 74 and the feed rollers 66, so that when the enclosures advancedfrom the magazines are seized and forwarded at higher speed by therollers O and 71, the feed rollers, that is to say their frictionsegments 68, are free to be snatched forward andto descend out of theway so as to avoid interfering with the forwarding movement of theenclosures and also to avoid placing strain on the sheet material. Otherarms 77 on the shaft 74 limit the extent to which the feeding devicesare moved freely in this manner. A similar plan may be, and preferablyis, employed in connection with the operation of the feed device of theenvelope magazine.

The gathering surface or table 6 is provided with longitudinal slots ,78running parallel with the fronts of the enclosure magazines 5. A pair ofslides 79 are mounted in guides 80 below the surface 6 to reciprocate indirections parallel with the slots 78. On these slides are posts 81which are connected by a cross bar 82, the slides being also connectedby a cross rod 83 so that the whole constitutes a reciprocatorycarriage. At longitudinally spaced points the slides bear verticallyslotted carriers 84. In these carriers the ends of transverse gathererbars 85 are carried and guided for horizontal movement with the recip'.:atory carriage, also for movement up and down relatively to thecarriage. The said bars have gatherer fingers 86, which are adapted tobe projected upward through the slots 78 and to be withare spaced apartat a distance corresponding generally to the distance between thecenters of two magazines. When enclosures are delivered from theenclosure magazines onto the gathering surface 6, the gatherer fingers86 are in their rearward positions, that is to say their positionsfarthest away from the loading station so that the fingers are in rearof the enclosures on the table in front of the respective magazines. Thegatherer carriage is then advanced and the fingers are raised so as topush the enclosures along the surface 6, thus bringing the enclosure orenclosures which were in front of any one magazine in front of the nextmagazine nearer the loading position, and advancing the collection ofenclosures which was in front of the first magazine, nearest the loadingposition onto the loading platform.

The vertically movable bars 85 have roll ers 88 (Fig. 6) which ride onlongitudinally extending bars 89, these bars being carried by parallelpivoted arms 90 so that the bars may be raised and lowered. For thispurg; pose the shaft 91 to which one pair of these arms is secured isprovided with an arm 92,

which is connected with the operating mechanism of the machine in amanner which will be described hereinafter, to cause the fingers 39 86to rise and fall at the proper times.

The successive collections of enclosures are moved into the envelopes bypendent pusher fingers 93 on a rock-shaft 94, these fingers forming asort of rake supported to operate over the surface 6 and its hingedcontinuation afforded by the platform 40. The said rock-shaft isjourna-led in a bracket 95 (Figs. 1 and 3), which rises through anopening in the deck from the forward portion of one of the slides 79 ofthe gatherer carriage. An arm 96 is fixed to one end of said rock-shaft,and pivotally connected with this arm is a link 97, pivoted in turn toan arm 98, which last is pivoted at 99 on the lower portion ofthe'bracket 95.

A spring 100 acting on the arm 98 urges these parts in a direction tolower the inserting fingers into close proximity to the underlyingsurface, though preferably not in actual contact with it. A stud 101placed on the bracket in position to contact with a rearward extensionof the arm 98 serves as a stop to limit the movement of these fingerstoward the surface 4, 40.

A piece 102 is also pivoted on the pin 99 to turn with respect to thearm 98, and a stud 103 on this piece is adapted to contact with the saidarm so as to raise the inserting pusher fingers 93 upward and rearwardwhen said piece is turned in one direction. As the gatherer carriagereciprocates, a roller'104 on said piece 102 trails over a cam or guide105 secured to a statior ary part of the. machine.

This cam is seen in Figs. 1 and 6, and its outline is shown in brokenlines in Fig. 3.

stroke the piece is in such position as to per-.

mit the spring 100 to keep the fingers 93 in their lowered position forpushing the enclosures into an envelope. When the gatherer carriagecompletes its forward movement and starts to travel rearward, the piece102 is turned so that it acts on the arm 98 to swing the fingers 93upward and rearward, in order to clear the next collection of enclosureson the rearward stroke. At the end of'the back stroke, the piece 102 isagain reversed in position, allowing the fingers to be lowered in timeto catch behind the enclosures, so that on the succeeding forward strokethe enclosures are pushed into the envelope.

A spring 106 may be provided for urging the piece 102 in one direction.

A set of inclined yielding blades 107 extend forward and downward overthe enclosure supporting surface at the loading region, the function ofthese blades or fingers being to raise slightly the back edge of themouth of the envelope and to bridge this edge so that the enclosures donot catch on it as they are pushed into the envelope. They are moved inthe forward direction just far enoughto accomplish this purpose, thistaking place just before the enclosures are start ed into the envelope,and are retracted at the proper time. They are pivoted at their rearends on arms 108 projecting downward from a rock-shaft 109, and arepreferably urged in the forward direction by a spring 110.

At this point it will be convenient to follow the operating connectionswhereby the various instrumentalities whch have been described areoperated in proper time from a common source or recipient of power.

The shaft marked 111 (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6) may be considered a primaryshaft, receiving power through a sprocket 112 (Figs. 4 and 7) from anelectric motor (not shown) or any suitable source of power. A spur gear113 (Fig. 6) on this shaft meshes with a gear 114 on a shaft 115, andthe gear 114 meshes in turn with a gear 116 (Figs. 1 and 7) fixed to oneend of the shaft 74 which drives the feed rolls 66 of the enclosuremagazine. Through gearing 117 at the opposite end of this shaft, theshaft 118 of the forwarding or delivery rolls of the enclosure magazinesare driven from the shaft 74.

Through bevel gears 119 (Fig. 7) a shaft 120 is driven from shaft 111. Acrank 121 (Fig. 3) on the shaft 120 is connected through a link 122 anda cross rod 123 with a pair of arms 124, which are mounted to swing on apivot shaft 125. The arms 124 have slotted portions 126 which engage thecross rod 83 of Way the gatherer is reciprocated.

A cam 127 on the shaft 120 acts on a roller of a bell-crank lever 128pivoted on the fixed frame at 129, and a link 130 connects this leverwith the arm 92, by which the guide bars 89 are raiscdand lowered (orpermitted to be lowered), in order to cause the gatherer fingers to riseabove and to descend below the surface 6, and to be maintainedprojecting above the surface during the forward stroke, and below thesurface during the back stroke.

Through bevel gears 131 (Fig. 4) a shaft 132 (Figs. 2-5) is driven fromthe shaft 115. A cam 133 on this shaft acts on a roller 134 on an arm135 projecting downward from the raising and lowering platform 40, toraise this platform at the proper time to admit an envelope flap, tohold it raised for a suflicient brief period, then to lower it back tothe normal plane, and to allow it to stay there for the requisite periodwhile a collection of inserts is being pushed into the envelope.

One portion of the shaft 132 passes through the feed roller 13 of theenvelope magazine, to drive the same.

Two cams 136, 137 (Fig. 4) on the shaft 132 coact with rollers 138, 139on the arms of a yoke 140 forming one end of a lever 141 which ispivoted at 142. On the other end of this lever a toothed segment v143meshes with a pinion 144 on the shaft 25. This shaft carries the pinions24 previously described, which mesh the racks 23 of the carriage of thev gripper, whereby the envelopes, advanced one at a time from theenvelope magazine, are seized and withdrawn, at the same time causingtheir flaps to be opened against the blade 12. The cams 136 and 137 areso designed as to move this carriage forward and rearward at the propertimes, and to cause it to remain in its rearward position, away from theenvelope magazine, for a proper period.

Another cam 146 (Fig. 4) on the shaft 132' acts on a roll 147 on an arm148, which is pivoted at 149. The upper end of this arm acts on thestriker slide 38, by which the envelope withdrawing gripper 18 is openedat the proper moment. The slide is preferably urged in the directioncontrary to the action of the cam by a spring 150. It has been thoughtunnecessary to show all of these parts in full lines, since similarmechanism is shown in my aforesaid prior application. As previouslyindicated, movement of the striker slide is utilized to raise the flapopener blade 12 slightly at the proper moment and then to allow it topress downward on the back of an envelope.

Still another cam 151 (Fig. 5) on the shaft 132 acts on the roller 152of a lever 153 which is pivoted at 154, this lever being connected at155 with an arm 156 on the rock-shaft 109 of the blades 107.

A crank arm 157 (Fig. 2) on the; shaft 111 is connected by a link 158with an oscillatory arm 159, which is pivoted at 160. This arm has afork 161 which engages a pin 162 on a reciprocatory slide 163 carrying arack 164. The end of the pin 162 may be provided with a roller 165working in a channel guide 166. The rack 164 meshes a toothed wheel 167on a shaft 168 suitably journaled in the fixed frame, and fixed on thesame shaft is a larger gear 169, which meshes a rack 170 on the underside of the reciprocatory slide 41 of the grippers 46 and 47 by whichthe envelopes are moved endwise to and then away from the loadingposition. By these connections this gripper mechanism is given theappropriate movements at the proper times.

One of the features of the present machine is a jogger 171 (Figs. 1, 4and 8-10) located at one side of the region to which the collections ofenclosures are brought just before they are inserted into the envelopes.It is located at the portion of the deck 4 just in front of thelongitudinally slotted surface 6 and just behind the movable platform ofhinged section 40 of the general surface or deck, and is at the side ofthis region nearer the envelope magazine. The function of the jogger isto push or jog each completed collection of enclosures at right anglesto the direction in which the collection was gathered, over against thegauge 72, thereby evening the collection and insuring its properposition opposite the mouth of the envelope. In this operation it actsin the direction in which the envelopes are moved endwise to the loadingposition. As hereinafter explained the endwise positioning of theenvelope at loading is determined by means cooperating with its leadingend, so that the leading end of the envelope when in position forloading always bears a definite relation to the gauge 72, the leadingend of the envelope extending slightly past this gauge. Therefore bymoving each collection of enclosures over against this gauge, thecollections are always roperly disposed for insertion into the enveopes, irrespective of thelength of the envelopes and irrespective of thelength of the enclosures which may be inserted into them.

The jogger is automatically operated in time with the otherinstrumentalities, and its precise form and the form of its operatingmeans may naturally be varied.

As illustrated, it comprises a pusher 172 slidable on the deck 4 andfreely pivoted at 173 to the upper end of an arm 174 extending frombelow through a slot in the deck. The arm 174 is pivoted at 175 to abracket 176 and has a roller 177 which is acted upon by a cam 178 in thedirection to draw the pusher back and to hold it back for a suitableperiod so that it will not obstruct the enclosures when the collectionis advanced by the gatherer, the collection then probably being in amore or less uneven condition crossways of the direction in which thecollection is advanced. The high dwell portion of thecam is suflicientlyhigh to move and hold the jogger out of the way of the longestenclosures that ma be employed.

The orward or active movement of the jogger is conveniently effected bya spring 179. Yielding or non-positive actuation of the jogger in thisdirection has an advantage, since if the jogger should be set to travela trifle too far it will not buckle the enclosures or hold them tightlyagainst the gauge 72 while the inserter 93 is acting on the collectionto move it into the envelope, nor will it result in injury to thejogger, as might be the case if the jogger were advanced rigidly andcontinued to advance after pushing stiff enclosures against the gauge72.

However, it will be evident that the ogger could be operated by a cam inboth directions, and that instead of a cam and the precise connectionsshown other appropriate operating linkage could be employed. In theillustrated embodiment, the cam 178 is fixed to the shaft 111 to causethe jogger to operate at the proper times.

A feature of this jogger is that it is capable of being set or adjustedreadily to vary the forward limit of its stroke, this being important inorder that the machine may operate with enclosures of different lengths.The rearward limit of movement of the jogger mayor may not be variedalso. The precise means for varying the stroke of the jogger isnaturally susceptible of embodiment in numerous forms, the one shownbeing suitable and convenient for the particular arrangement utilized.

In this form a rod 180 passes through and is rotatable in a bearing 181,the portion of this rodextending below the deck being screw-threaded. Aknurled knob 182 on the rod is located above the deck in an accessibleposition for ready manipulation. The screw end is a stop lug 187 tocoact with a projection 188 on the arm 174. This stop, therefore,

limits the extent to which the jogger is moved by the spring 179. Byturning the knob 182 in one direction or the other the forward limit ofthe movement of the jogger is regulated.

Attention is called to a relation between thefeatures of adjustabilityof throw of the jogger, which is very important in a machine which mustload enclosures of all sizes 'lrto envelopes, and a provision by virtueof which the jogger is advanced by a yielding means or connection, forexample, such as the spring 79. A yielding means by or through which thejogger is advanced to do its work makes ible or yielding fingers 300projecting downward and forward from stationary bars 301 into proximityto or contact with'the gathering surface 6. The enclosures are pushed bythe gatherer beneath and in contact with these fingers.

Another feature to which particular attention is called is a positionerfor positioning the envelopes at the loading station. Each envelopebeing carried endwise to this position by a gripper engaging its forwardend, which gripper is released at the proper movement, the envelope isleft at approximately the proper position for loading, and indeed if theenvelopes are sufliciently longer than the enclosures the position maybe accurate enough. However, in order to enable the machine to work withenclosures which are but little shorter than the length of theenvelopes, it is highly desirablev to provide for quite exactpositioning of the leading end of the envelope. In my prior applicationthere was a stop against which the end of each envelope abutted when itwas released by the gripper. The disadvantage of such a plan is that ifthe functioning of the gripper mechanism should not be precise, theenvelope may be brought against the stop an instant before the gripperopens, the effect being to distort or to skew the envelope, or both.

I have therefore dispensed with a stop, and the envelope is preferablyallowed to come to rest where it will after the release of thegripper,in which connection it will be understood that the momentum ofthe envelope tends to carry it onward for a short distance after it isfree.

The important improvement in this connectionis that regardless of theprecise point at which the envelope is released, it can not be broughtup against an obstacle while it is is shifted back to the desiredposition in a direction contrary to that in which it was brought to theapproximate leading position. The improvement is thus applicable inconnection with other types of mechanism for bringing the envelopes tosuch approximate position, and is not necessarily limited to atranslating mechanism which holds the envelope by its leading end.

The form and arrangement of the positioner and the connection forautomatically operating it may be modified in many respects.

A suitable form is illustrated and will be described.

A rock-shaft-190 (Figs. 1, 3, 5, 11 and 12) is journaled in a bracket191 onthe deck of the machine, and this shaft carries an arm 192,towhich a plate 193 is freely knifehinged at 194. This plate preferablylies a short distance above the deck 4 between the envelope guide 39 andthe slot 43. At its free end there is a toe 195, which may be formed ona bar 196 fixed to the plate 193 by a screw 197, permitting the toe tobe adjusted on the plate. A spring 198 reacting between the plate 193and the arm 192 serves to hold the toe 195 down against the deck of themachine when the arm 192 is swung to move the toe downward and rearwardas shown in Fig. 12 (by rearward being meant the direction contrary tothat in which the envelope was brought to the approximate loadingposition). The toe may be notched to straddle a rib 199 on-the deck, asis seen.

in Fig. 5, though this is not essential.

The joint 194 permits of relative pivotal movement between the plate 193and the arm 192 in this operation. When the arm 192 is swung in theopposite direction, the plate 193 and the toe 195 are raised as shown inFig. 11, the plate being sustained by the abutting surfaces of the knifejoint.

Another arm 200 on the shaft 190 is connected by a link 201 (Fig. 2)with an arm 202 on a rock-shaft 242 mounted in a bracket 203, and a link204 extends from another arm 243 on the shaft 242 down below the top ofthe machine for connection with another bellcrank 205 (Fig. 5), thisbell-crank being in turn connected by a link 206 with a lever 207fulcrumed at 208, and the said lever carrying a roller 209 which bearsagainst a cam 210 on the shaft 132. The cam actuates the positioner inone direction, and a spring 211 actuates it in the other direction,though here as elsewhere in the machine operations may be positive inboth directions. The timing sitioner is moved and held out of the way intime so that the envelope after being loaded may be carried onward bythe gripper 47.

It is not essential that the envelope positioner be located over thedeck of the machine. However, an advantage of a. construction andarrangement such as shown is that the plate 193 or other suitable partof the positioner, when lying a short distance above the surface onwhich the envelope is loaded and extending for a distance over the backof the envelope, acts also as a guard to keep the envelope from bucklingwhen the enclosures ed envelope.

are pushed into it. For the purpose of this function the cam 210 is sodesigned that the positioner is kept in its lowered position while theenvelope is being loaded and is raised out of the way just before theloaded envelope is moved onward.

The end flap retainer 305 (Fig.1), su stantially like the one disclosedin my prior application, may be firmly held and may be stiff enough tocooperate with the plate 93 carries the forward end of each loadedenvelope between two rollers 212 and 213 which are then not rotating,the gripper is then opened and proceeds enough farther to clear theenvelope, closes, and then returns beneath the envelope to pick up thenext load- The upper roller 212 is on a spring-pressed arm 214, andmeans are provided for driving the roller 213 at the proper times.

For this purpose the roller 213 is fixed to a sleeve or tubular shaft215 (Fig. 5) which passes through a bearing 216, and at the opposite endof this bearing the sleeve has a .1.

ratchet wheel 217 fixed to it. A shaft 218 turns within the sleeve andhas a pinion 219,

ratchet'when the slide is moved in the opposite direction. A retainingdog 223 coacting with suitable teeth or roughness on the face of theratchet wheel 217 prevents the roller 213 being dragged in backwardrotation on the idle stroke of the slide. The slide 221 is actuated torotate the rolle 213 forwardly at the proper time by an arm 224 on theslide 163 striking and moving a projection 225 on the slide 221. On thereturn movement of the slide 163 another arm projection 225 and.returns- 226 strikes the the slide 221. i

The roller 213, when driven, causes the loaded envelope to advance intothe bite of two rollers 227 and 228 mounted in a bracket 229 at thedelivery end of the machine. roller 227 is spring pressed, and theroller 228 is driven through bevel gears 230 from the shaft 132. v

The loaded envelopes may be .delivered from the machine with their flapseither open or closed. For closing the flaps an inclined bar 231(Fig. 1) of suitable form is em-' ployed. This bar may be secured to a,rib 232 by a set-screw 233 so that it can be read- The ily removed andreplaced. When the bar is in position as shown in Fig. 1, the open flapsas they encounter and move along it are turned over toward the backs ofthe loaded 5 envelopes before the envelopes pass between the rolls 227and 228.

Another bar 234 is shown swiveled on the bracket 229 so that it-can beshifted from an inoperative position, shown in full lines in 10 Fig. 1,to an operative position, represented by broken lines in the same view.When the bar 234 is in the latter position it serves to keep the flapsopen, so that the envelopes pass in this condition through the deliveryrolls 227 and 228. In that case, the bar 231 is removed or moved out ofthe way.

In the machine of my prior application, provision was made formoistening the flaps of the envelopes, for sealing. A moistening meanshas not been shown in connection with the present machine, but may beprovided if desired.

The operation of the machine has been fully explained in connection withthe foregoing description, and need not be repeated. It will beunderstood that there may be numerous changes in form and details, andby way of substitution, addition or subtraction, without departing fromessentials.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered at a plurality of points, gathering elementssupported beneath said surface in tandem relation, means forreciprocating said gathering elements forward and rearward, alongitudinal part along which said elements move, means forautomatically raising and lowering said part, an upwardly projectingforward support on said carriage, an inserting pusher a ove said surfacemovably mounted on said support so as to be raisable and lowerable, astationary part, and means on said carriage and having a member coactingwith said stationar art for causing said pusher to be lowered fbr theforward stroke and raised for the rearward stroke.

2. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered at a plurality of points, a reciprocatorycarriage below said surface, gathering elements in tandem relationmovably connected with said carriage, means for reciprocating saidcarriage, means for causing said elements to rise and fall withreference to the carriage in proper time with the reciprocation thereof,an inserting pusher above said surface and connected with said carriageto move therewith, a stationary part, and means c0- acting with saidstationary part and controllin raising and lowering movement of said puser.

3. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered 65 at a plurality of points, gathering elementssupported beneath said surface in tandem relation, means forreciprocating said gathering elements forward and rearward, alongitudinal part along which said elements move, means forautomatically raising and lowering said part, an inserting pusher abovesaid surface and connected wlth said carriage to move therewith, astationary part, and means coacting with said stationary part andcontrolling raising and lowering movement of said pusher.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with anenvelope magazine, a flap opener in front of said magazine, means formoving successive envelopes from said magazine in a direction transverseto their length to cause the flaps to be opened by said opener, andmeans for then moving the envelopes endwise to a loading position, of ayielding pendent piece encountered by the flaps in the latter movementfor causing their further opening.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination withmechanism for moving an envelope endwise to approximate position forloading, of a positioner which acts in the contrary direction toshiftthe envelope back to the proper position for loading.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination withautomatically closable and releasable gripper mechanism for moving anenvelope endwise by its'forward end to approximate position for loading,of a positioner which acts in the contrary direction to shift theenvelope back to the proper positon, and means for automaticallyactuating said positioner to act on the envelope when it has beenreleased by said gripper mechanism.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aseries of enclosure magazines, a gatherer extendinglengthwise of saidseries of magazines, means for feeding enclosures simultaneously fromsaid magazines to difierent positions on said gatherer, means foroperating the gatherer to form successive collections of enclosures bytranslating the enclosures in one direction, an inserter acting in thesame direction to insert the successively formed collections intoenvelopes, means for moving envelopes to the loading station in adirection at right'angles to the path of movement of the'enclosur'es, ajogger disposed at one side of the loading station, and means foroperating said jogger to act on the successive collections in' the samedirection as that in which the envelopes are moved to the loadingstation.

8. In a machine of the character described, a jogger at the loadingstation to act on successive collections of enclosures, yielding meansfor advancing said jogger, astop directly cooperative with said'joggerto limit such advancing movement and thereby to limit the action of the'ogger on the enc1osures,*a; device fora justingsaid' stop-,

and means for retracting said jogger at the proper times.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a surfaceonto which enclosures are delivered at a plurality of points,

' which the enclosures are advanced by said gathering elements, andmeans for inserting the collections of enclosures into envelopes.

10. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered at a plurality of points, a reciprocatorycarriage below said surface, gathering elements in tandem relationmovabiy connected with said carriage, means for reciprocating saidcarriage, and means for causing said elements to rise'and fall withreference to the carriage in proper time with the reciprocation thereof,a loading station to which the enclosures are advanced by said gatheringelements, and means for inserting the collections of enclosures intoenvelopes.

11. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered at a plurality of points, gathering elementssupported beneath said surface in tandem relation, means forreciprocating said gathering elements forward and rearward, alongitudinal part along which said elements move, and means forautomatically raising and lowering said part, a loadin station to whichthe enclosures are advance by said gathering elements, and means forinserting the collections of enclosures into envelopes.

12. In a machine of the character described, a surface onto whichenclosures are delivered at a plurality of points, a recipro-- catorycarriage beiow said surface, carriers tandem relation on said carriage,bars vertically guided in said carriers and having upwardly projectinggathering fingers, means for reciprocating the carriage, and means forcausing said bars to move vertically in said carriers at the propertimes, a loading station to which the enclosures are advanced by saidgatherin elements, and means for inserting the col ections of enclosuresinto envelopes.

13. In .a machine of the character described, a jogger to act onsuccessivecollections of enclosures to even the same, a gauge to whichthe enclosures are evened, a stop directly cooperative with said joggerto limit its advancing movement and thereby to limit the action of thejogger on the enclosures, a device for adjusting said stop, and

provisions for advancing and retracting said jogger, said provisionscomprising yieldingmeans for advancing the jogger against the adjustablestop.

14. In a machine of the character described, having a deck, a jogger toact on successive collections of enclosures to even the same, a portionof said jogger being below the deck, provisions for operating thejogger, including yielding means for advancing it, an .adjustable stopcooperative with the portion of the jogger below the deck, and meanspassing through the deck for adjusting said stop by manipulation abovethe deck.

15. In a machine of the character described, having a deck, a jogger toact on successive collections of enclosures to even the same, saidjogger having an arm passing below the deck, a spring for advancing saidarm, driven means for retracting the arm, a movable stop below the deckto arrest the advancing movement of the arm, and a screw adjustingdevice for said stop having an operating knob above the deck.

FLORENCE MoCARTHY.

